The Indigo Choice
by ViolaMoon
Summary: Hermione wakes up one day and finds herself in an alternate world where she is not Muggleborn Hermione Granger but Hermione Nott, pureblood sister of Theodore Nott. She remembers little of the new life she finds herself in and struggles with the differences between her old world and the new one. She must make a choice, Happiness or Friendship?


This story was also written for the Semi-final Round of the Seventh Season of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition: It's a Classic

I'm writing as Chaser 1 for The Tutshill Tornados.

Chaser 1 prompt: Call of the Wild: A character makes changes in order to adapt to a new environment (social environment, physical environment, etc)

These are the prompts I'm using as a chaser to score some extra points:

2: (colour) Indigo

8: (song) "Here's to Us" – Halestorm – lyrics used: "Put our dreams through the shredder"

10: (emotion) Confused

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the world J.K. Rowling has created. It's all hers, from Diagon Alley to Hogwarts to all the people living there.

Thanks to my fantastic team for betaing!

A/N: Pureblood!Hermione AU plus other AU elements that come from an alternative timeline.

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Title: The Indigo Choice

Words: 2905

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The indigo robes clung to her in a way that felt like she had always worn them, yet they also felt like she never had. Hermione looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't recognise herself despite having lived this life for three days now. She was the same brown-haired, brown-eyed girl, yet there was an elegance to her appearance. Her hair was straight and her skin clear. This wasn't how she remembered looking. She didn't know what had happened or how she had ended up in this situation. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened to cause her to wake up here, in this elegant, regal room instead of in her own bed.

"Wake up, Hermione. Three days is long enough. I need to get back," she said to her reflection. Even her way of speaking had changed. She frowned in confusion at her situation. She had gone to bed at home, in her Muggle parents' house after a trip to Diagon Alley shortly before the start of her sixth year. Tensions had been high during her trip. That, and deciding on all the extra reading materials she had bought, had left her exhausted. When she'd unpacked her shopping, she'd found a new set of indigo pyjamas. They were fine silk, and in her tired state, she'd put them on without thinking about it. Hermione had regretted it ever since. They had to be the reason for her sudden awakening in this… alternative world.

A knock came at the door before it opened and in walked her 'brother'. In this world, her parents weren't her parents. She was the twin sister of Theodore Nott. She was a pureblood. He too was dressed in indigo robes, the colour of the Nott family crest. He held a book in his hand and looked impatient like she had held him up in his reading.

"How are you feeling today, dear sister?" he asked, his voice kind and warm, unlike the boy she remembered from her world. "Father is waiting downstairs to take us to Kings Cross." In this world, Nott Senior—her father—was not imprisoned, and Hermione still had to wrap her head around the idea.

The differences between this world and her own had her well and truly confused. So confused that she had a constant headache. Luckily, this had given her time and peace to consider her situation, to research in the extensive Nott library and question her new family without raising too much suspicion. She had found nothing whatsoever about her situation, no explanation as to why she was now in this world. She had decided to scour the Hogwarts Library as soon as she got there to see if she could find anything.

The couple of days she got to spend with her elderly 'father' were quiet. He seemed like the perfect source of information due to the fact that they spent so much time at Hogwarts or other social functions that random questions about what was going on in this version of Wizarding society were not out of the blue. She had learnt that their mother had died in childbirth, something exceptionally rare in wizarding society, leaving him to raise his twin children by himself. While he did share Voldemort's sentiments, he didn't actively support the Dark Lord, and he'd, therefore, escaped being sentenced to Azkaban unlike in her world.

"Earth to Hermione?" Theo said with a sigh, pulling a set of glasses out of his robes and placing them on the end of his nose. He cracked open his book as if to say, if she didn't get moving, he might as well get some more reading done. Hermione didn't find her brother unpleasant like she remembered from her time. She remembered him as quiet but happy to join in with Malfoy's bullying. This Theo was studious like her. They had spent several hours so far reading quietly in each other's company.

"I'm ready," Hermione said as she picked up her wand, placed it in her pocket and then called for their house elf, Misty, to come and collect her belongings. She'd had to bite her own tongue to stop herself for talking to Misty about Elfish Welfare on several occasions. From the first time she tried, she had gathered that this world's Hermione was not interested in such things. Despite being studious, it seemed that this Hermione had an interest in gossip and using knowledge to get ahead. She was also, much to her dismay, friends with Pansy Parkinson.

xxxx

When they arrived at Kings Cross, Hermione found herself looking around for Harry and Ron without even thinking about it. For a moment she forgot that she was Hermione Nott. For just a moment, she was Hermione Granger again, and she was looking for her friends to sit with them on the train. She saw them and smiled. They looked exactly the same, Harry with his scruffy black hair and Ron all legs and freckles. Her eyes met Ron's and just as she was about to smile, she saw him sneer at her. Her heart sank as she saw Harry and Ron both give her a look of disgust. So it was as she'd feared. They weren't friends in this life. Her mind grew clouded for a moment as confusion hit her once again; she was supposed to be with them, helping them with their schoolwork, keeping Harry out of trouble, being their best friend. That dream was now through the shredder as her dad would say… her former dad that is.

A set of strong arms wrapped around her, and she was pulled back against someone's chest. "I know you missed me, Hermione, but that doesn't mean you should go pining after Potter or Merlin forbid… Weasley," Malfoy said from behind her. She spun around and before she could protest, he leaned down to kiss her. Unsure of what to do, she allowed herself to be kissed and found it more than enjoyable. Draco took a step back and looked at her for a moment. "There's something different about you… just can't put my finger on it…" he mused before kissing her once more. Hermione gave in again. Comfort, even from the boy who bullied her through all her years in Hogwarts, was a welcome reprieve from the bewilderment in her mind.

xxxx

Soon they were on board the Hogwarts Express, and she was listening to Pansy rattle on about the parties she had attended, the boys she had flirted with, and the gossip she had heard on both occasions. Draco sat next to Hermione, arm around her shoulders as he chatted to her brother who apparently was his best friend in this world instead of Crabbe and Goyle. She had been surprised to find out that Crabbe and Goyle were in Hufflepuff.

"Millicent Bulstrode was found out with a Muggle!" Pansy gasped and looked to Hermione as if to see her reaction. A look of disappointment graced Pansy's face when she saw that Hermione wasn't equally scandalised by the gossip. "Didn't you hear me, Hermione? A Muggle! Her father locked her up for the rest of the summer for that…" Pansy continued, studying Hermione's face for a response. Realising that her friend wanted her to react in the same way, Hermione tried to feign a look of astonishment. She failed.

"What's wrong with you today? You're acting very strangely." Pansy raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Draco looked at her too. "Are you tired, dear? Theo told me you were sick," he said, concerned.

Hermione shook her head and looked from Pansy, to her brother, and then to Draco. "I'm just stressed I think…" she said. "I have been worrying about our N.E.W.T.S. We start them this year after all…" she said. This was partially true. She had been worried about starting sixth year, in her world, but now it was a handy excuse for her confusion, plus it helped her hide the nerves that were starting to develop. Could she hide the fact that she was not from this world? These three people knew her better than anyone, and Pansy was suspicious of her already.

Theo and Draco laughed simultaneously. "You, worried about starting sixth year?" Theo asked, barely controlling his laughter. "You're the top student in our year, sis, followed closely by me and Draco…" Hermione gave them a look of outrage, a lot like something she would give Harry and Ron when they teased her about her study habits. That may well be the case, but she wouldn't fall behind now, new alternative world or not, she hadn't had a chance to read the course textbooks as her time suddenly got taken up with her new situation.

"Well I am top of the class for a reason, dear brother…" she said, allowing her pretentious nature to come through. Theo laughed and shook his head. This she wouldn't do as much around Harry and Ron. They never appreciated her rubbing in that she was a better student than they were. Here, however, the boys and Pansy expected her to act this way, and she found it liberating. For a moment, she found herself enjoying the presence of the three Slytherins in a way she hadn't with her two Gryffindor boys. She wouldn't allow herself to fall yet, however, not until she had exhausted all options to return to her own world but part of her felt a sense of belonging with the most unlikely of people.

xxxx 

Soon they were arriving at Hogwarts' Station, and the boys left them to change. Hermione changed into her robes. She felt uncomfortable when she saw the crest of Slytherin, but at the same time, as she had always worn them, and she could feel herself falling more and more into the persona of the Hermione of this world as if she was starting to blend in, forgetting her past life and accepting the new world as her own. She wasn't quite ready for that, however. Hermione lifted her wand and an indigo ribbon flew out of her trunk and tied her hair back into a sleek ponytail. It may be the Nott crest colour but it reminded her of the night sky at the Burrow the previous summer, it was something to ground her.

The boys came back just in time. "Come on. I want to get to the castle quickly," Draco said… His eyes looked shifty. It was the same look she knew from her own time. It was the same look Harry had when he had been up to something, something he shouldn't be doing.

Before she had a chance to ask, Hermione saw Ron helping a bloodied Harry out of the train and she snapped. "You hit him, didn't you?" she scolded Draco, hand on her hip.

Draco spun around to face her on the platform. A confused sneer appeared, he opened his mouth to speak but then looked over at Harry and Ron and back at Hermione. "So what if I did?" Draco asked. "You are acting very odd today… may I remind you that you are dating me… not Saint Potter and his weasel." The others laughed, and when she didn't Draco turned abruptly. "I am sick of the sight of you," he scoffed. "Come find me later when you make more sense."

With that, he was off towards the castle. Pansy followed suit, eager to get to the castle quickly to get some good gossip from those she hadn't seen during the train ride and summer holidays.

"Come, sister. Let's take a carriage back together," Theo said, taking Hermione's arm and leading her without giving her an option to say no.

She welcomed the comfortable silence that came from his companionship. It allowed her to sort through her thoughts. She did enjoy Malfoy's company, and he was a good kisser, but that bullying aspect of his personality was still there, still present, and it was still directed towards her former friends. Nothing made sense. She didn't know what to do, and she hoped that she could find something, anything in the library.

xxxx

The sorting feast was peculiar. Sitting at the Slytherin table instead of the Gryffindor one was an adjustment though something in her was convincing her to act in a certain way… to sneer at Dumbledore's speech, cheer when Snape was announced as Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, to snuggle up to Draco. He had begrudgingly forgiven her thanks to Pansy, who had apparently talked him down on route to Hogwarts. It was like her body, her alternate self was making herself known again. Hermione could feel it. She still had no access to the girl's memories, yet she could feel them becoming one. It would happen if she let it. But that would mean letting her own dreams die, losing the friendships she had, and the reputation she had achieved.

On the way out of the Great Hall, Draco pulled her in an alcove and his lips found hers. She allowed it to happen and could feel a contentment she hadn't felt in her own time, happiness even. Was she falling for Draco Malfoy? That thought was quickly put aside when water fell over the pair of them, causing them to break apart. Hermione's cheeks blazed scarlet.

Harry stood there with Ron. Harry had his wand pointed in the air; he had cast the Augimenti over them. The pair laughed. Hermione could feel her heart breaking.

"Couldn't you two snakes save it for your own common room?" It was Ron, who grimaced as if they were disgusting. "Isn't it technically inbreeding with you two?"

"Sorry, Nott…" Harry said with what seemed like sincerity for a moment until she saw his face. She knew that face. He was lying. "I'm sure about… six hours in front of the mirror should fix that mess, am I right?" He turned to Ron who burst out laughing. Hermione felt her hair. The Sleekeasy potion had been washed out, so her hair had gained its natural curls again.

She felt her eyes water, her legs moved out beneath her, and she found herself running away, fuelled by the laughter of the two boys who she thought were her best friends. She knew that they could be cruel. She had experienced it herself but had often turned a blind eye when it was a Slytherin… but now she was a Slytherin, and they were not friends.

The library was just as she remembered it, and luckily she had the place to herself. Hermione took a moment to breathe, to calm herself, and she found herself using her wand to straighten her hair, only then did she feel at ease. The aisles of the library called out to her and Hermione began her search, eager to find a solution, a way home.

Books upon books joined the piles on the table beside her as she searched. A time travel phenomenon—no, it couldn't be that. Some sort of curse? Maybe, but probably an undiscovered one. Even the thought of it all being a dream crossed Hermione's mind, but nothing could be found in her haven. Maybe because she didn't want to find one.

A chair pulled up beside her and she found herself being pulled into a pair of strong, warm arms. "You missed my knight-in-shining armour moment," Draco said, kissing her forehead and looking at her tenderly. She felt her heart skip a beat at his tenderness, something she didn't know he had. "I gave the pair of them a soaking of their own." He smiled broadly and then quickly kissed her, to avoid the scolding of Madam Pince.

His fingers ran through her hair, and she heard him murmur, "Why don't you keep the curls?" She turned to look at him, grey eyes met her brown, and she found herself smiling at him. Maybe life in this timeline wouldn't be so bad after all. She had new friends and a boyfriend who cared for her, life seemed good for Hermione Nott. Maybe she should just let herself be her. But that was a thought for another night as curfew was approaching.

The pair found their way down to the dungeons and after a long, soulful kiss, Hermione headed to the girl's dormitory; her feet knew the way.

Her bed was there waiting for her, and Hermione felt incredibly confused and tired. She wondered whether she would find a way back or whether she truly wanted to. She missed her friends sure, but she knew that she could be very happy here. She already was.

Hermione opened her trunk and on top lay two sets of pyjamas, the indigo set she had worn that fateful night and a ratty old pair of shorts and a muggle t-shirt. They were hers—hers from her old life. Her hand reached out, traced each item. She would have to choose. This new set with new opportunities and happiness she hadn't experienced before or her old well-loved set with her old dreams and friends.

Her hand reached out and gripped the set her heart sung out for, and she made her choice. She pulled on the pyjamas, enjoying the silk against her skin and found her bed comforting and warm down in the cold dungeons. Sleep found her quickly, and her dreams were filled with a certain blond prince.


End file.
